2000 Ethiopian Jews Have Died in Sudan
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Inside: ------- R, I. Jewish Historical From the Editor, page 4 Association ll 130 sessions Street Around Town, page 8 P rovidence , RI 02906 Noah's Ark, pages 10-11 RHODE l!!iL1'1'1JD THE ONLY ENGLISH-JEWISH WEEKLY IN R.t, AND SOUTHEAST MASS. YOLUME LXXII, NUMBER 9 FRIDAY, FEBRUARY I, 1985 30c PER cory 2,000 Ethiopian Jews "Grass Roots" AAEJ Continues Have Died in Sudan To Assist Ethiopian Jews NEW YORK (JTA) - Israeli and United States, to anyplace else - I don't by Robert Israel American Jewish officials active on behalf care.'' In further exploring the history of the of Ethiopian Jewry had no comment this Nimeiry declared, "I am not interested Ethiopian Jews and how the American week on reports that at least 2,000 in keeping any refugees in my country. If Jewish public was made aware of their Ethiopian Jews have died in refugee _all two million left, it would be good for plight, one has to consider the efforts of camps in the eastern Sudan since they Sudan. For while they are here, we must the American Association fo r Ethiopian began to flee their homeland last spring. feed and protect them." Jews. AAEJ has been working since 1974 The reports, carried in the New York The Sudanese Leader said, however, to assist Ethiopian Jews and to enable Times, quoted Sudanese officials and relief that his government was not involved in them to safely escape from drought-ridden workers as estimating that perhaps 2,000 and did not condone the Israeli airlift Ethiopia to Israel. more have been stranded in the Sudan operation. "Some two million people have As reported in the Herald on January since Israel was forced to cease its airlift of · come here as refugees. The government 18, the Jewish Federation (known Ethiopian Jews earlier this month after does not know their tribes or religion. We nationally as the Council of Jewish premature disclosure of the operation are not interested in that." Federations) has been involved in a appeared in the Israeli and international The Sudan president reiterated his successful but controversial project media. government's charge that Ethiopia had entitled "Operation Moses." Due to press Reports from the Sudan said that at one lo ng permitted Jews to go to Israel in leaks and other internal struggles at the camp, Umm Rekuba, nearly 1,800 of the exchange fo r weapons to fight insurgents Jewish Agency in Israel, that project was 7,000 Ethiopian Jews who arrived last in Eritrea and Tigre provinces. Ethiopia halted several weeks ago but will be year died there, many of measles. In July has denied those allegations. resumed according to the Jewish The pro-A rab weekly Jeune Afrique and August, the camp reportedly went Telegraphic Agency (JTA) in the report reported this week that Ethiopian Jews without food and water for three weeks. that accompanies this one. Due to the who fled their country suffered a Relief workers said the Ethiopian Jews secrecy concerning the airlifting of the "mini-inquisition" in the nearby countries who began to flock into Sudanese camps Ethiopian Jews, an embargo has been where they sought asylum - Sudan, Sandy Afsai in large numbers last spring and early placed on all future reports of "Operation summer were in the "worst state of any of Djibouti and North Yemen. The magazine Moses" until such a time when the with quite a bit of controversy associated the refugees.'' said ~thiopian Christian refugees were security of the Ethiopian Jews can be with its activities. There have also been Some 2,000 Jews are reported to be subjected to the same treatment. guaranteed. numerous exchanges of negative accusa camped near the Sudanese-Ethiopian The Jeune Afrique correspondent in The AA&J, like the CJF, has been tions between the two organizations re- border, where the Sudanese officials are Ethiopia, who visited several refugee involved in rescuing the Ethiopian J ews (Continued on page 9) preventing entry. camps in Sudan, reported that the people -./ ·1 The Times report said that at the Umm who distributed food to the starving Rekuba camp, some 50 miles from the escapees "shared out the supplies border, 1.191 Ethiopian Jews died ·according to the recipents' origins. The Getting Away Is Good Medicine between July and November. More than amount handed out to Moslem, Jewish by Susan Higgins down to a lake encircled with pines. We 600 died before July. A nurse from the and Christian refugees was different" couldn't resist running outdoors across Sudan Council of Churches said that the despite the claim by the Sudanese Keith wished for it as we were dressing for work one morning. We had the carefully groomed ,grounds dotted Ethiopian Jews, after their trek to the Commission fo r Refugees that all refugees been bouncing ideas around about with other early risers also greeting the border, arrived with dysentery, malaria, are treated alike. places to go to escape the weight of sun. It was the time just before the sun dehydration, typhoid and other ailments. Trans European Airways (TEA), the winter. He wanted to go somewhere stretches over the horizon, when the The Jewish Telegraphic Agency learned Belgian charter company that airlifted red glow of anticipation fi lls the sky. about 7,000 Ethiopian Jews to Israel, is and relax. I wanted to be close to an independently that the continuing death ocean and trees. We didn't want to Icy patches kept us slipping and of Ethiopian Jews in the Sudanese refugee now facing an Arab boycott and possible swaying, struggling to keep our balance blacklisting by the Arab League. travel too far or spend too much camps had been known to officials in the as we ran towards the lake leaping over The airlift carried the refugees from money; w"e just needed a quick United States and Israel for several revitali zing time-out. Then Keith said small shrubbage giggling in the fresh months, and served as a catalyst in Israel's Khartoum, Sudan to Tel Aviv via morning air. It was going to be an Brussels. Diplomatic sources said a it, "Let's go to a health spa." efforts to airlift Ethiopian Jews to the That's all he needed to say. One time unusually warm and sunny day fo r Jewish state. boycott of the airline was recommended at January and the sun sent rays a meeting of the Council of Arab I told him about a castle in Florida I President Gaafar Al-Nimeiry of Sudan hoped to visit some day and he booked shimmering across the water just as we said over the weekend that Ethiopian Ambassadors in Brussels this week. reached its edge. As we made our way The Arab League reportedly has been the flights while I was still describing it Jews and all other refugees in his country to him. So my mission was clear. I back to the big house on the hill we are free to leave Sudan - provided they do asked to study TEA's contribution to the were rewarded by the sight of a rainbow transportation of Ethiopian Jews to Israel, searched for such a retreat and not go directly to Israel . discovered a holistic health spa/retreat in the morning sky over the center. "If they come and tell me they are going which the Israelis had code-named Kripalu is certainly an amazing "Operation Moses." Sources said TEA's center a mere three and one half hours to Israel, I w'ill not help them, because away, nestled in the beautiful wooded vision any time of day. Overlooking Israel knows that I am its enemy," founder and manager, George Gutelman, a Lake Mahkeenac, the Kripalu Center 51-yea r-old Belgian Jew, was summoned Berkshires, overlooking a sparkling Al-Nimeiry said. " I won't help Israel by lake. One week later not knowing what for Yoga and Health is 8. half mile walk sending them mo re people. But if they go to the meeting of Arab ambassadors to from Tanglewood, in Lenox, (Continued on page 9) to expect, we were on our way to a most away from here - to Europe, to the unusual adventure at a place called Massachusetts. At the turn of the Kripalu. century, Anson Philips Stokes built an Although we arrived late Friday elegant mansion on the 320 acres night, ou r hosts greeted us graciously. known as Shadowbrook and called it Attired in white they led us through the home. It was reported to be the third hushed halls of the massive red brick largest private residence in the United building to our room. They iriformed us States. Disregarding everything else lhat the residents of the center the man was a genius at recognizing a (approximately 200) typically rise good location. before 5 a.m. to start their morning It was later owned by Andrew exercises and yoga practices. We were Carnegie who said it reminded him of given a schedule detailing the next Scotland. After his death the property day's activities and told to feel was purchased by an order of Jesuits comfortable about sleeping in as long as who planned to expand. A fire leveled we liked and joining the activities the building and the Jesuits built the program whenever we were ready. It vast structure that stands today. The was almost 9:30 p.m .. time for lights Jesuit population never increased to out, our hosts pointed out, but there meet the expectations of the order and were quiet places in the building if we the property was vacated.